Exercising machine



1955 ,N.E. GOODRICH 2,714,507

EXERCISING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Norris Efioodv-Lclh ORNEY 2, 1955 N. E. GOODRICH EXERCISING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19, 1950 INVENTOR NorrLs E.Goodri.ch

ORNEY United States Patent 2,714,507 EXERCISING MACHINE Norris E. Goodrich, Battle Creek, Mich. Application September 19, 1950, Serial No. 185,651 8 Claims. (Cl. 272-72) This invention relates to exercising machines, and has special reference to a rowing type exercising machine.

The rowing of a boat is recognized to be one of the most healthful forms of evercise, and acts to strengthen the arms, as well as abdominal and back muscles. A few machines have been proposed for simulating rowing exercise with the addition of leg exercise. Those machines have either been of highly complex construction, or have lacked the benefits of a simple and positive action apparatus, and some of the latter have had a home made appearance. It was a recognition of this situation, and the lack of a simple and highly efiicient apparatus, which led to the conception and development of the present invention.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved and simplified inclined plane construction rowing machine exerciser.

Another important object of this invention is to provide, in a rowing machine, a combination of gravity and brake resistance to the exercising movements in such a machine.

Machines of this class usually are provided with a horizontal track on which is arranged a shifting seat, or else the seat is mounted on the end of a complex linkage arm, and many such machines have an operating lever provided with a handle bar. It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved arrangement of such lever, track, and seat wherein the weight of the person using the machine will effect a partial resistance to the rowing stroke movement of the lever.

It is also a further object of this invention to provide means for connecting the lever and seat of the machine for relative movement, and also to provide means for adjusting the resistance to movement of the lever.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved frictional resistance to the movement of the lever of such a machine, said frictional resistance being greater on the pulling stroke than on the return stroke, and including means whereby the extent of such resistance may be regulated. Still another object of this invention is to provide a rowing machine exerciser where, on the rowing stroke, the operator has to force the seat on which he is sitting up an inclined trackway, and at the same time a brake mechanism resists this movement while relaxing such resistance on the return stroke preparatory to starting the next rowing stroke.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the exercising apparatus hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

r The side plates 35 25 E450? Patented Aug. 2, 1955 In the annexed drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine as seen from in front of same.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine.

Inthe embodiment of the invention as here disclosed, there is provided a pair of parallel side frames which are preferably of the same shape and size. Each of these frames has a relatively short front leg 10 and a relatively long rear leg 11, these legs having suitable rubber feet 12 and extending substantially vertically upward from the surface on which the machine rests. From the upper end of each front leg the frames extend upwardly and rearwardly in curved portions 13 which merge in horizontal frame portions 14. From the rear end of each portion 14 each frame extends rearwardly and upwardly to form an inclined seat track 15 which merges with the top of the respective rear leg 11 by a curved portion 16.

Secured beneath each portion 14 of the frame is a spacer block 18, and beneath each block 18 is a bearing 19, bolts 20 holding the blocks and bearings securely in position. The rear legs 11 are conventionally tied, as by welding or threading, to the blocks 18 by tie rods 21. Mounted non-rotatably in the bearings 19 is a shaft 22 and on the central portion of this shaft is fixed a wide faced drum 23. Mounted on the shaft 22 is a swinging frame of generally U-shape, this swinging frame having legs 24 rockingly mounted on the shaft, the drum 23 being between these legs. The upper ends of the legs 24 are connected by a cross-piece 25 on which is conventionally mounted, as by welding, a socket 26. In the socket 26 is fixed the lower end of a lever 27 having a handle bar 28 extending across its upper end, said handle bar being provided with hand grips 29 of wood, fibre, plastic, or even rubber or the: like covering its ends. Mounted slidabiy on the lever 27 is a sleeve 30 which is secured in adjusted position by means of an Allen set-screw 31. Projecting laterally from the sleeve 30 is a pair of spaced bracket arms 32.

The seat of this invention includes a cross-piece 33, Figure 2, supporting a rubber cushion 34. From each side of the member 33 depends a vertical side plate 35 which lies adjacent the outer side of the portion or rail 15 of the respective main frame. The front and rear portions of the plates 35 are connected by axles 36 on which are mounted grooved wheels 37 which rest on the rails 15. The side plates are also connected by tie rods 38 which extend between the plates and under the rails 15 to prevent wheels 37 from accidentally becoming disengaged from said rails.

Under the forward part of the member 33 is fixed a bracket 39, and a link has its rear end connected to the'bracket 39 by a pivot member 41, while its front end is connected to the arms 32 by a pivot member 42.

and wheels 37 are so arranged that, with the Wheels resting on the rails 15 the upper face of the seat will be slightly inclined down and forward, preferably in the neighborhood of 5, for ease of use in the exercising operation.

It will be noted that the link the operating lever 27 connection. 40 between and the seat is such that the forward end of the link may be adjusted, by movement of the sleeve 30 from or toward the axis of swinging movement of the lever, so that greater or less pull on the handle bar is required to run the seat up the inclined rails 15.

Extending between the legs 24, Figure 2, is a tie rod 43 carrying a U-shaped clip 44 which embraces one end of a brake band 45 provided with a liner 46 engaging around the drum 23 for about three-fourths of its circumference. Through the cross-piece 25, at its rear part, extends a brake rod 47 carrying a yoke 48 at its lower end. Between the arms of this yoke extends a pin 49 carrying a U-shaped clip 50 secured to the remaining end of the brake-band and liner. The rod 47 projects well above the part 25 and on the upper end is adjustably screwed a hand nut 51. A coiled compression spring 52 surrounds the rod 47 between the plate 25 and the nut 51 so that by adjustment of the nut 51, the frictional grip of the brake-band liner on the drum may be regulated to require greater or less operating effort on the lever 27.

Rubber covered foot rests 53 extend laterally from the blocks 18, and a rubber sleeve 54 is mounted on the forward tie 17 of frame members 15 to cushion the forward swing of the lever when the swinging frame legs 24 come in contact with same,

In use a person seats himself on the seat cushion 34, places his feet on the rests 53, grasps the hand grips 29 and moves the lever 27 rearwardly and forwardly synchronously straightening and flexing his legs. In carrying on this operation, if sleeve 3% is near socket 26 carrying lever 27, the movement of seat 34 up frame track portions 15 will be limited upon backward pulling of lever 27. The opposite will be the case when sleeve 30 is moved out on lever 27 from socket 26 within limits of operation of the machine. This adjustment of sleeve 30 on lever 27 thus permits varying the loading of the apparatus. A second form of loading is controlled by the relative tightness of brake nut 51 on brake rod 47, since the tighter this nut is turned the more friction is caused between drum 23 and brake hand lining 46, and the operating load is correspondingly increased. This type of brake assembly has the advantage in that movement of lever 27 in pulling direction, which is counterclockwise in Figures 1 and 2, causes a solid pull of brake band 45 on tie rod 43 and a firm braking action. On the return or clockwise stroke of lever 27 movement of seat 34 down frame track portions 15 eases the operating load, while the brake band 45 pulls against the tension of spring 52 which compresses slightly to further release a portion of the operating load. The operation of the apparatus thus simulates rowing since the pulling stroke is harder than the return stroke, and at the same time oscillating movement of seat 34 up and down frame track portions 15 causes exercising of the operators legs when he is sitting on seat 34 with his feet on foot rests 53. While attaining these ends, the assembly is simple, efficient, and has a pleasing factory made appearance.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be used instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the apparatus herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

1 therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a rowing type exercising machine, an operating lever movable rearwardly and forwardly by rowing movements of the user, a frame comprising side members, each having rear and front legs and a track inclined downwardly from the rear leg to the front leg of the machine, a. seat for the user traveling on said inclined track, a onepiece link having connection with said seat and said lever, the connection of the link with the lever being shiftable along said lever, means for securing said link in selected shifted relation on the lever, and a foot rest projecting outwardly of the forward lower end of each side frame member.

2. In a rowing type exercising machine, an operating lever movable rearwardly and forwardly by rowing movements of the user, a frame comprising side members, each having a rear and front leg and a track inclined downwardly from the rear leg to the front leg of the machine, a seat for the user traveling on said track, a non-extensible link having connection with said seat and said lever, the connection of the link to the lever including a sleeve adjustable along said lever and carrying a bracket pivotally connected to the link, a set-screw carried by the sleeve and engaging the lever to hold the sleeve in adjusted position, and a foot rest projecting outwardly of the forward lower end of each side frame member.

3. In a rowing type exercising machine, an operating lever movable rearwardly and forwardly by rowing movements of the user, a frame comprising side members, each having rear and front legs and a track inclined downwardly from the rear leg to the front leg of the machine,

; a seat for the user traveling on said track and normally urged by gravity toward the front of the machine, a non-extensible link having connection with said seat and said lever, the connection of the link to the lever including a sleeve adjustable along said lever and carrying a bracket pivotally connected to the link, a set-screw carried by the sleeve and engaging the lever to hold the sleeve in adjusted position, a foot rest projecting outwardly of the forward lower end of each side frame member, frictional means resisting rearward movement of the lever whereby the friction means and gravitational mounting of the sheet coact to resist rearward movement of the user when the lever is operated for moving the user and seat rearwardly and upwardly on the inclined tracks, said friction means including a drum fixedly mounted between the forward lower ends of the side frame member, a band passing over the drum with both ends of the band attached to said lever, and means to adjust the resistance to movement effected by said frictional means.

4. In a rowing type exercising machine, a frame comprising side members, each having rear and front legs and a track inclined downwardly from the rear to the front of the machine, a seat for the user traveling on said track and normally urged by gravity toward the front of the machine, friction means including a shaft fixedly mounted in the front end of said frame, a brake drum fixed on said shaft, an inverted U-shaped member straddling said drum and mounted on said shaft for rearward and forward movements in said frame, an operating lever carried by said member and projecting radially and upwardly of said shaft, a brake band partially surrounding said drum and having its ends carried by said member, said lever effecting frictional engagement of the band on the drum upon rearward movement, and a link connection between the lever and seat whereby the friction means and gravitational mounting of the seat coact to resist rearward movement of the user.

5. In a rowing type exercising machine, a frame comprising side members, each having rear and front legs and a track inclined downwardly from the rear to the front of the machine, a seat for the user traveling on said track and normally urged by gravity toward the front of the machine, friction means including a shaft fixedly mounted in the front end of said frame, a brake drum fixed on said shaft, an inverted U-shaped member straddling said drum and mounted on said shaft for rearward and forward movements in said frame, an operating lever carried by said member and projecting radially and upwardly of said shaft, a brake band partially surrounding said drum and having its ends carried by said member, said lever effecting frictional engagement of the band. on the drum upon rearward movement, one end of said brake band being immovable with respect to said member, adjusting means including a compression spring carried by said member and connected to the remaining end of said band, said adjusting means controlling the tension of said band and its frictional engagement with said drum with such frictional engagement being eased by said spring during forward movement of said lever, and a non-extensible link connection between the lever and seat whereby the friction means and gravitational mounting of the seat coact to resist rearward movement of the user.

6. In a rowing type exercising machine, a frame having parallel track rails inclined downwardly from the rear to the front of the machine, lateral foot rests at the front of the frame, a seat for the user mounted on the track and normally urged by gravity toward the front of the machine, a lever pivotally mounted at its lower end between the front ends of the track rails, a hand-grip at the upper end of said lever, a link connecting the seat and lever with the lever and seat normally occupying forward positions by gravitational forward and downward movement of the seat on the track rails and friction means associated with the lever pivot, said friction means and gravitational mounting of the seat coacting to resist rearward and upward movement of the user.

7. In a rowing type exercising machine, a frame having parallel track rails inclined downwardly from the rear toward the front of the machine, lateral foot rests at the front end of the frame, a seat for the user mounted on the track and normally urged by gravity toward the front of the machine, a lever pivotally mounted at its lower end between the front ends of the track rails, a hand-grip at the upper end of said lever, a link connecting the seat and lever with the lever and seat normally occupying forward positions by gravitational forward and downward movement of the seat on the track rails, and friction means including a transverse shaft fixedly mounted below the forward ends of said track rails, a brake drum fixed on said shaft, the pivotal mounting for the lever including an inverted U-shaped frame with the lower end of the lever connected to the upper end thereof and the side legs of the U-shaped frame straddling said brake drum and pivotally mounted on said shaft, a brake band partially surrounding said drum with one end of the band fixedly attached to said U-shaped frame and the other end of the band resiliently and adjustably attached to the U-shaped frame whereby the friction means and gravitational mounting of the seat coact to resist rearward and upward movement of the user.

8. In a rowing type exercising machine, a frame comprising joined together spaced side members, each side member having front and rear legs and a track connecting same, a seat for the user traveling on said track, a shaft fixedly and non-rotatably mounted between the side members of said frame at the front end thereof, a brake drum anchored in fixed non-rotatable position on said shaft between said side members, an inverted U-shaped member straddling said drum, means for pivotally mounting said U-shaped member on said shaft for reversible pivotal movements between the side members of said frame, an operating lever carried by said U-shaped memher and projecting generally radially of its pivot axis, a rigid link pivotally connecting said seat to said lever so that movement of said lever will move said seat on said track, a foot rest projecting outwardly of the forward lower end of each side member of said frame, a brake band partially surrounding said drum and having its ends carried by said U-shaped member, movement of said lever being resisted by frictional engagement of said band on said drum under operating conditions, one end of said brake band being mounted on and endwise immovable relative to said U-shaped member, and means for frictionally adjusting the brake band gripping pressure on said drum, said means including a spring carried by said U-shaped member for variable tensioning of said brake band on said drum, and means for operably connecting the remaining end of said band to said Ushaped member through said adjusting means, said connecting and adjusting means comprising a threaded member joined to the end of said brake band and extending: through said U-shaped member and then through said. spring, which is of compression type, with a tightenable threaded member engaging said first named threaded member to facilitate application of varying compressive forces on said spring, which forces in turn are transmitted to said brake band to vary its operating grip on said brake drum, said connections of said brake band to said U-shaped member being such that on backward movement of said lever the pull on said band to move it around said drum will be through its immovable connection to said U-shaped member, and on reverse movement of said lever the pull on said band to move it will be through the compressible spring connection to said U-shaped member, whereby the resistance to movement of said lever due to the frictional engagement of said band on said drum is greater for rearward movements of said lever than on forward movements of same since on the latter movement said spring will slightly compress to ease the gripping pressure of the brake band on the brake drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 215,389 Ashton May 13, 1879 339,638 Goldie Apr. 13, 1886 1,205,426 Barnhill Nov. 21, 1916 1,782,728 Kiefer Nov. 25, 1930 1,974,445 Calleson Sept. 25, 1934 1,982,872 Husted Dec. 4, 1934 2,251,120 Davis July 29, 1941 2,278,591 Sak Apr. 7, 1942 2,455,548 Bell Dec. 7, 1948 2,475,667 Jackson July 12, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 161,441 Germany Sept. 7, 1904 498,341 Germany May 21, 1930 

